Life is a wee bit more distracting in America…yikes – just the commercials have all of us Rathmells gawking at the TV – we are so easily sold because of the amazing graphics and professional wooing. Jack knows that Geico can save us 15% or more in 15 minutes, that you can eat Taco Bell and be a hero with your other hand, and thanks to ESPN, he’s pretty sure there’s a connection between beer and women falling all over you. There’s so much to learn in America! 🙂
Our lives have been full to brimming over, however, with life-giving, faith-strengthening conversations that help us tow the Gospel line and we are finding ourselves unbelievably blessed. It has been great to be in America and to breathe clean air, not worry about killing a myriad of moped drivers and find stores that have exactly what we want!
We did make on enormous mistake however. We did not bring a list of “Things we ‘need’ to bring back to Thailand”. And you know what? We have forgotten just about everything! Luckily, I did remember how precious and expensive nuts are and my mother-in-law hooked us up with a huge bag of pecans – only one catch – they are still encased in their shell!
Expensive deliciousness!
Early on, I was quite eager to shell them, because I do remember their high value in Thailand and I’m 1/4 of the way of pursuing my dream of a big ziploc bag of fresh pecans snuggled in my luggage back home. In the process, I have been thinking a lot about “worth”. I keep asking myself if it’s worth it. I mean, it is when I’m in Thailand, but it’s not so much when I can go 300 yards and painlessly swipe a credit card for a perfect batch of pecan halves down the road.
Funny how things gain and lose their worth. Our faith sometimes suffers this ebb and flow. Maybe it’s inconvenience, like shelling these pecans and the effort it is requiring of me. Maybe it’s the bad taste of disappointment that weakens us, or maybe it’s just plain ole’ fear that reduces the value of our faith. I have a lot of time to think about it – I’ve got 3/4 of a bag left to shell, and I’m praying it will profit my soul and strengthen my faith.
Love you guys! Jen